1. Field of the Invention: The invention relates to a machine for continuously wrapping, packaging, and/or bagging articles within thermoplastic films (polybags, shrinkwraps, and the like).
2. Description of the Prior Art:
A large variety of sealing and product handling equipment exists for wrapping, packing and/or bagging articles within plastic films. The primary problems with such existing equipment relate to (1) large physical size, (2) lack of versatility in wrapping/bagging different size articles, (3) inability to dimension the wrapping or bag to that of the enclosed article, (4). speed of operation, (5) adaptability for automated operation, (6) inability to consistently obtain a high integrity seal between two layers of film where several different varieties of thermoplastic films are used in the equipment.
For example, "L"--sealers are slow, require the use of centerfold film, cannot produce close fitting packages and can only be partially automated.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,776 describes a packaging machine developed by our father which pioneers the field of equipment for automatically packaging articles in plastic films. However, the machine developed by our father does not solve many of the problems in obtaining "close fitting seals". His machine also cannot control package size without reference to the item to be packaged. Finally, his machine cannot consistently provide high integrity weld type seals for all varieties of thermoplastic film.